Commercial and industrial buildings have loading docks that utilize metal dock covers which are pivotal to match the floor of the building up with the floor of the truck. There is space under the covers which is open to the outside allowing substantial heat loss in the winter from with inside the building through the metal dock cover. A cover could be placed over the metal dock plate, but it would be an inconvenience to install and remove it on the occasion of each use. What is needed is a dock plate cover that is automatically removed when the dock is to be used and reinstalled after completion of the use.